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Welcome to the Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival website.

The Kotatsu Japanese animation Festival was created by organizer Mrs Eiko Ishii Meredith.
Launched in November 2010 at Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff, UK, the festival screened the best in Japanese animation and culture to a wide audience.
The 2010 event included screenings of Japanese animations from mainstream to independent, workshops for children and a masterclass from respected animator Barry Purves.
This year's festival is to be held on 1st December at Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff.

We are glad to announce this year's main event.
A screening of the wonderful stop motion animation ‘Komaneko’
directed by Tsuneo Goda,
followed by a live Q&A session with the director and Hirokazu Minegishi, stop motion animator via skype from Japan.
Komaneko is a stop-motion series of shorts featuring a curious cat, his friends and their adventures. Beautifully animated, with lovable characters, exquisite set pieces and enchanting story lines guaranteed to please all ages.
Tsuneo Goda is also the creator of Domo, internationally famous character and the official mascot of Japan's NHK television station..

Here is a Special Message from Director Tsuneo Goda.

“The Kotatsu Film Festival is such a lovely name for this festival of animation.
Thank you once again for inviting me to participate in the festival.
Komaneko is presented using `cat’s language’.
Some parts are also shown in `dog’s language’.
The film should therefore be enjoyed by Japanese and British people,
and indeed by people the world over, whatever their language.
I would be thrilled and delighted to know that you enjoyed my film.”

Tsuneo Goda

A 'Kotatsu' is a table unique to Japan, which is draped in a blanket, futon or quilt, and which has a heater underneath. It's ideal to keep your feet and legs warm while you are working away on the cold winter nights. So, come on in, pull the blanket around you and enjoy some of the finest Japanese animation available.

Character Designs & Animation courtesy of Chie Arai

Message from Sayoko Kinoshita

I visited Cardiff in 1992, when I cooperated to curate special programs of Japanese animation for an international animation festival held in Cardiff at that time. I remember that I felt very relaxed during my stay, where I enjoyed the comfortable atmosphere of this historical city, and also, by many people I met at the shopping center who were so kind and warm. I even thought of living in a city like Cardiff! Perhaps, the Welsh language might have given me a warm impression too.

Then, in HIROSHIMA '98, I was very pleased to show a very strong special program of Welsh Animation, having originality and individuality in variety, and I also showed the program in Okinawa after our festival. At that time, I was delighted to learn the unique history and climate of Wales, reflected in the films. As such, I truly hope the Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival 2010 will provide a good opportunity for Japanese animation filmmakers to spread their animation culture in Cardiff, the capital of Wales, as well as to study the very high-quality British animation art too.

I also hope that the Festival will serve as a good site for friendship and exchange, just like a family gathering at Kotatsu,supporting many Japanese animation filmmakers to become very successful internationally.

Sayoko Kinoshita
Festival Director
International Animation Festival in Japan - HIROSHIMA

Message from Isao Takahata

Isao Takahata is a Japanese Animation Film Director,
and Co-Head of Studio Ghibli

I am delighted to hear that this Japanese Animation Film Festival will be held at Cardiff, a city with a tradition of hosting film festivals. When I was informed that the title of the Festival was to be KOTATSU, I immediately felt something of a personal affinity; it was very much a serendipitous moment for me. By sheer coincidence one of my own films "Hohokekyo Tonari no Yamada-kun" (My Neighbors the Yamadas) has many scenes based around the kotatsu, a Japanese style of room/body heater. The image of sitting around the kotatsu symbolizes the pleasure of happy family life in Japan. If you ever have the opportunity to see the film you will understand what kotatsu means.

And that's why I am particularly pleased to be able to wish every success to the KOTATSU Film Festival.

Isao Takahata

Message translated by Midori Matsui

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Welcome to the Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival website.

Message from Sayoko Kinoshita

Message from Isao Takahata

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